Jaybird’s new Tarah Pros promise 14 hours of battery life

Jaybird’s X series of headphones has been the company’s flagship for years, but today the fitness headphone company is introducing a new, premium model that takes the new top slot in the lineup.

The Tarah Pros are set to be the first in a new line of “Pro Series” products from Jaybird, designed with the more demanding needs of professional athletes in mind. To that end, the Tarah Pros look similar to the entry-level $99.99 Tarahs, with a similar barrel-shaped earbud. But there are plenty of differences, including the biggest new addition: a promised 14-hour battery life, far besting the six hours Jaybird promises with the Tarahs or the eight hours on the X4s.

I am distinctly not a professional runner, but I took the Tarah Pros out to the gym anyway to give them a shot. Jaybird has always been a strong advocate for its over-ear fit, and the Tarah Pros are no exception — I basically couldn’t get them to stay in my ears in a “normal” position, although swapping over to the over-ear fit (made much easier on the Tarah Pros with a new, “Switch Fit” feature that allows the earbuds to rotate between the two styles) worked far better. While I can’t speak to their comfort or sweat-proofing over say, an hours-long marathon, once I had a decent fit they were fine for my usual workout.

Along with the extended battery life, Jaybird is adding a few nice quality-of-life improvements to the Tarah Pros: the cord connecting the earbuds is now a more comfortable fabric that doesn’t stick to sweaty skin (as well as reflective, for additional safety for nighttime runners), and the inline remote has a subtle curve to fit up against your head if you’re cinching it close for the over-ear style. And like the other 2018 Jaybird models, they’re rated IPX7 against water.

The Tarah Pros are available to order today from Jaybird’s website for $159.99.